Precision industry cluster Facts and figures Leading companies Technology transfer Research and development Education Official bodies and associations Networking and trade fairs Our services Facts and fi gures: precision industry in Switzerland Facts and fi gures: precision industry in the Canton of Bern Swiss precision industry includes machine-building, electrical Precision industry in Switzerland The long tradition in the watchmaking industry has driven forward The Federal Institute of Metrology and the offi cialSwiss Chrono- industry and metal industry (MEM) and the watchmaking industry. know-how used in precision industry work. It is a major advantage meter Testing Institute have their head offi ces in the Canton of Bern. Share in Swiss Number of Number of It is characterised by a large number of SMEs that perform at the value added employees companies for the successful development of precision industry in the Canton of The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry has its head offi ce in top level in the world market. As part of this, nanotechnology is Bern. Many well-known watch manufacturers are benefi ting from the Biel. The Swissmechanic federation, uniting SME employers, profes- opening up new opportunities for traditional microengineering and MEM industry 9 % 358,400 14,500 close proximity of suppliers in the Jura region. The supplier industry has sionals and specialists, has representative sections in Biel and Bern. electrical engineering, and in surface treatments. In Switzerland, Watchmaking 8.5 % 59,100 650 developed strongly and diversifi ed. Its businesses are not only working around 358,000 people work in precision industry and around industry in the watchmaking industry, but also in automotive engineering, med- Precision industry in the Canton of Bern 14,500 companies operate in this area of industry. ical technology, information and communication technology, energy Number of Number of Sources: SwissMem 2015 / Convention patronale 2014 and environmental technology. employees companies The MEM industry makes up Switzerland’s largest industrial sector. It generates 43 % of all Swiss exports. Switzerland ranks eleventh The Bern precision industry is highly export oriented. Over 80% of its MEM industry 44,500 2,000 amongst the major machine-exporting countries in the world. In production is sold abroad. America, Asia, and Europe are major sales Watchmaking industry 11,800 130 many product areas, such as paper processing, tooling machinery, markets. The Bern precision industry works in areas such as watches textile machinery, print machinery and packaging machines, it is (movements, components and equipment), tooling, robotics, automa- Sources: FSO 2013 / Convention patronale 2014 amongst the world’s leading providers. The Swiss MEM industry tion, apparatus, manufacture of screwing parts, surface treatments, exports primarily to Europe, Asia and North America. In relation to its microelectronics, injection moulding of plastics, and micromechanics. population, Switzerland is regarded as the most industrialized coun- Hansruedi Wandfl uh, president, Wandfl uh AG try in the world. “To manufacture high-precision components and systems you need know-how, spe- The machine-building, electrical and metal industry (MEM) consti- cialist personnel and the right infrastructure. The Canton of Bern and Switzerland tutes the strongest industrial sector in the Canton of Bern. Companies The watchmaking industry has a long tradition in Switzerland. It is provide all of this. Having a place of work where other people come for their holidays such as Tornos, Feintool International Holding AG, Festo Microtechnol- Nicola Thibaudeau, CEO, world leading, particularly in the luxury segment. The watch industry also encourages creativity and motivation.” www.wandfl uh.ch ogy, Harting, Fritz Studer, Mikron Agie Charmilles, Faulhaber Group MPS Micro Precision Systems AG employs about 59,100 people in about 650 companies. The main and Schneider Electric have a presence in the Canton of Bern. “MPS has ideally located business premises in Biel. With a fl oor export destinations are Asia, Europe and America. space of 14,400 m2, the building has high-precision production facilities for profi le The watchmaking industry is represented right across the value added turning and truing. Each year, it produces 40 million balls with a diameter of between Around 95% of Swiss watch manufacturers are based around the chain: R&D, design, production (manufacturers and suppliers) and 0.120 and 1.5 mm. Assembly operations are performed in protected areas and clean foot of the Jura mountains, in the cantons of Bern, Geneva, Neu- retail are all to be found in the Canton of Bern. rooms. Development of complex systems is based on ball-bearing technology and on châtel, Jura, Vaud and Solothurn. The watchmaking industry cluster synergies with the Faulhaber Group. The highly motivated and dynamic team com- consists of manufacturers, suppliers, designers, educational and Guillaume de Seynes, president, The Swatch Group has its corporate head offi ce in the Canton of Bern. prises 220 staff members drawn from a region which specializes in microtechnology.” research institutes, together with offi cial bodies and sector-based La Montre Hermès SA It manufactures its Longines, Omega, Rado and Swatch brands in www.mpsag.com associations. The main Swiss watchmaking centers are Biel, Geneva “The extensive know-how in the fi eld of precision engineering, the expertise and the canton. ETA SA, one of the biggest watch movement manufactur- and La Chaux-de-Fonds. quality of the employees, and the presence of local suppliers were the determining ers in the world, has a number of production sites in the Canton of factors in the decision to choose Bienne as our location. Thanks to the ‘Swiss made’ Bern. And the manufacture of Rolex watch movements is similarly Around 32% of Swiss expenditure on R&D is contributed by the label and a continually expanding range of mechanical watches the Hermès Group concentrated in the Canton of Bern. MEM industry. Switzerland is home of major research institutes for has seen its international reputation in the watchmaking grow. The site in Bienne precision industry and nanotechnology: the Swiss Center for Elec- today employs about 100 personnel. “ www.hermes.com Research into precision industry in the Canton of Bern is primarily tronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) in Neuchâtel; the Swiss Federal undertaken by the University of Bern, the Bern University of Applied Heinz Loosli, CEO, Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH); the Swiss Federal Institute of Sciences, the Arc St-Imier University of Applied Sciences, the Swiss Feintool International Holding AG Technology Lausanne (ETHL), including its center for micronano- Federal Laboratory for Materials Science and Technology in Thun and “The Canton of Bern is home to leading companies in the precision engineering technology; the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) in Neu- industry who have established a successful position for themselves in the global and Technology (EMPA) in Dübendorf and Thun; the Swiss Nanosci- châtel. competition. High capacities for innovation as well as technical expertise are particu- ence Institute in Basel; the Adolf Merkle Institute in Fribourg; the IBM larly required in the manufacture of high-quality products. The Canton of Bern offers research center in Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen. international companies stable political conditions, a good infrastructure, skilled em- The Bern University of Applied Sciences ideally combines praxis ployees and a network of cluster organizations.” www.feintool.com and theory in the fi elds of study Mechanical Engineering and Medical Technology. 2 3 Leading companies in the Canton of Bern Technology transfer Many leading companies in the precision industry have located in the Canton of Bern, Harting AG, Biel particularly highly-specialized SMEs (the list below is a representative selection). Development and production of device con- The Canton of Bern is home to the Precision Cluster, which pro- TT-Novatech nection engineering, electrical and electronic motes networking between companies, technology transfer and TT-Novatech in Saint-Imier/Moutier is an interdisciplinary institute for connectors, network components and manu- higher-level training. The universities provide research services applied research and technology transfer which works in close col- factured cables for networks and machines or for companies to the highest standards. laboration with the Arc University of Applied Sciences. TT-Novatech www.swatchgroup.com www.rolex.com www.longines.com www.rado.com for power feed and data transfer in factories. fronts projects in the area of applied research and industrial develop- The company also acts as a supplier for The Precision Cluster ment, performs mandates at the request of its economic partners and mechanical and engineering machinery con- The Precision Cluster provides a platform for companies, suppliers proposes support and advice activities. TT-Novatech mainly works struction. www.harting.ch and training and research institutions working in the fi eld of precision and offers its services in the areas of mechanical engineering and ma- engineering and microengineering. Through marketing measures and chine tools, plastics processing, soft mobility, metrology and quality www.swatch.com www.omegawatches.com www.hermes.com events, the Precision Cluster